5 Eligibility Criteria

Matteo's POV

"You look like you will die at any moment…" I looked at my eighty-year-old father who seemed leaner than I last saw him. I stared at the tubed attached to his wrist or some that disappeared in his hospital donning.

"It's not happening. I still have some money to spend on my hospital bills." The mention of his expenditure made my throat bitter.

"…that's not some. It's a lot. It is so huge that you don't blink to spend on some lowlife to interrupt my most important project…we don't do it…we don't fuck up business, dad. You hate me. Talk to me don't do this! I can't let your fucked up emotions to destroy what's mine. YOUR LIFE IS ENDING NOT MINE," I was shivering with all the anger at this point. This man was spending as if wanted to end everything he could in the last of his days.

"Language Matt!..." He tried to cry out but only end up coughing. This made me roll my eyes frustrated.

"…I know…I know you don't have any feelings for me. But you are my only son. I can't let you do what I did. Just stop for a second and think…why are you earning this all? Why are you making all of this money?" This made me stare deep into his eyes before I answered.

"Because it is the most important thing!...you either earn or end up on streets smelling like shit. And, believe me, I won't make a mistake like yours. I will not end up having my emotions so fucked at aged fifty and think of having a son. No one will stand here in front of me claiming my hard-earned money as his or hers." I know my voice was getting loud but I didn't care. I wasn't going to let anyone tell me what to do with my life.

"You will make the same mistake. But you will make it when it will be too late. And, you will do it without knowing what you are getting into." This made me tilt my head to look at my father.

"Even if I make a mistake or not that's my problem. Just tell me when you will stop feeding your dogs so they stop writing nonsense about my project," This was the only thing I knew I can't do. Except for me, my father was the only person who had the reach on how to use the resources of our family equally.

He sighed deeply.

"Is this the only thing you care about?" He asked as if I was being too cruel to him.

"No! I would want you to get out of my life forever but…"

"I wonder if you will ever wake up Matt. I am…am so sorry to bring you up like this. But…but I have realized my mistake. I…I want to make things right for you."

I looked at my father as if he was telling a joke and what the hell I was expecting from an eighty-year-old? He sure was losing some wires in his brain and I couldn't let his disease destroy my life.

"Look…just tell me what you want me to change. Ok? You…you want me to make less money…I will…I will..try…you want me to make some real and genuine donations. Let's do it. But let's not stop this one project. It is so important. It will give other people jobs too…I…"

"I want you to be able to feel other people's pain." The storm in my brain got static. What he asked was impossible in every definition?

"Dad…it is not possible. No one can really feel anyone else's pain. The human body doesn't work like this…and so their emotions…we both…we both know this." I tried to show my empathy in my voice that I could manage like a perfect artist while I was yelling in my head already tired of this conversation.

"People do feel it. And, you…you want a person like this in your life."

"What are you talking about?" I was at my wits' ends.

He was a little out of breath when he started, "I want you to get married,"

This did make my mind go onto the best happening of the day. "About that…I am getting married. Get yourself the best dress. I am not doing it without you…and believe me…knowing who is it? You are going to be proud of your son at once."

"Who…" Before he could ask I broke to him.

"The only heiress of Russo family…" I looked at his frozen face before adding. "I knew you will be proud of me."

"She doesn't have a good reputation…she is after money always...don't tell me you are marrying for money." It was my turn to go surprised now.

"Well, that's my eligibility criteria she hits perfectly. You married a woman who increased your net worth by seventy percent. I am marrying a woman who will increase my worth by one twenty-five percent. Don't be jealous. Just give me your blessings I don't care about and value nothing…"

"…and what about her cousins, and uncles…I am sure she is marrying you to have a person who will be interested in saving her inheritance as much as she is…"

"What about that?...she never mentioned any uncle…that can't be true…and even if…"

"I have a girl in my eyes." This got my eyes narrowed.

"Who?" And, when I asked this I expected my father to take into account one most important thing I care about. He was my father. He couldn't be this cruel.

"Her name is Julie Cole,"

Cole…Cole…Cole…

"Cole enterprise. The one in the paper industry in Canada. They won't cut it, Dad. We can't possibly be joined with them!" I was shocked recalling a family with chubby bodies. I only knew because they were famous for making donations. Real donations at that.

"No…no…no," My father interrupted.

"Julie is a nice and hard-working girl. I chose her for her kind words and empathy, and affection and tolerance. After her father, she cares about her stepfamily as if their own. Even real sisters won't do it…and in the world, you are mostly unknown to...it is easy to do good things for strangers because it is only for once but it is hard to do good things for your family because you have to do it every day."

"I can't recall another Cole family. Will you mind telling me?" My question made my father huff in disappointment.

"I will tell you all about it…but first I want you to meet her…and though I know I shouldn't but I really want you to behave…and…for once use your mind and see what's really matter. Don't throw your life away for things that don't matter." My father was saying all of this nonsense out of his condition that god knows if ever have a stop.

"Fine…" I answered thinking I might ask that woman in person who is she. But what could be the matter of Ms. Russo with her uncles couldn't leave my mind.

"Mr. Winston, please call Ms. Cole…I know it's her off. It doesn't matter it's urgent. And, yea…ask my driver to get ready. I am almost done with my procedure."

"I am leaving." I huffed without letting him finish his call.

"No…you are not…I have called her here…"

"And…what I am supposed to do…don't tell me I am going to wait! I won't ever wait for Ms. Russo…no one can be that important…"

"She is…she is…far more important than you or anything you have ever seen." I nodded knowing I need to find what the matter between Ms. Russo and her uncles is.

Soon, a male nurse entered and get him off his monitors. I dialed some numbers before hissing. "I want you to look into what's the matter with Ms. Russo and her uncles are going…and make it soon. Try to find a person who can give you the inside details..." I only stop to listen to how he will be quick.

I lighted a smoke and waited for his call. Only five minutes later I got a call from my investigator.

"Mr. Lucca the case is not much known. But it's been said that her grandfather is on the death bed. There will be a fight. But not to forget that her grandfather is giving her a huge chunk taking into consideration that it was her father who spent all of his life and even died working. Your nexus with her make her position strong enough to get out of this mud clean…" The last of the details were enough to make me release my breath.

"Fine…" I replied a little pissed why Ms. Russo hid such information from me. I took a long puff on my smoke when I heard the door open behind me.

"Where is Mr. Lucca? Is he alright?" I heard a voice filled with impatience but still soft…very much feminine. But there was no way my father with his cranky head was looking for any woman from a good family for me. I was pissed and it was in her great interest that I don't talk to her.

"Excuse me? I am talking to you?" Fuck! Who does she think she is!

I turn with a face I knew I didn't want to show because she could be someone important by chance. But my pissed face turned into surprise finding what my father was proposing me with. She was everything that I didn't want my woman to be. She was a white woman but had porcelain skin. The only thing I liked about her so far. Her height too wasn't bad but her unkempt curly hair, thin fingers, and…not to forget about her clothes were a huge repulsion and when I ever liked a woman with almost nonexistent lips. I don't know what brand her clothes were. But it wasn't the question because her dress was baggy enough to tell me she doesn't own this and that made my blood boil. I could only tell that she wasn't fat so far but I wanted to know if she had any curves or not and I tried to pay more attention when she said.

"Do you know about Mr. Lucca?" Was she really this dumb and didn't know who I was?

There wasn't a single article of jewelry on her body that could give me a guess over her value.

"I…I guess…I am in the wrong room." Her voice told me she was freaking out before she turned and I rolled my eyes with disappointment.

Her huge coat didn't let me have any idea if she had any rear or not. But I guess her voice was enough to tell me that she will run to hills rather than marrying me. And, it was enough for now.

I hope that you liked the chapter. The next chapter will be up soon.